The 10 best penalty takers at the 2026 World Cup
Soccer psychology expert Geir Jordet ranks the top 10 penalty takers at the 2026 World Cup, breaking down their techniques and mental robustness.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Author: Voltmetro
With the 2026 World Cup expanding to 48 teams, the importance of penalty shootouts has never been higher. Elite performance researcher Geir Jordet has ranked the tournament's top 10 penalty takers, using a combination of rigorous data analysis and psychological assessment.
Notably absent from the list are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite their legendary careers, their recent conversion rates and the shift in their club environments have seen them fall behind the current elite specialists in terms of consistency and technical development.
Topping the list is Harry Kane, who has refined his craft by seamlessly alternating between goalkeeper-independent and goalkeeper-dependent techniques. He is followed by Sweden’s Viktor Gyokeres, noted for his high-velocity, no-fuss approach, and Mexico’s Raul Jimenez, who boasts an astonishing 97.7% success rate.
The full top 10 also features Mikel Oyarzabal, Ivan Toney, Bruno Fernandes, Kylian Mbappe, Andrej Kramaric, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Igor Thiago.